Fade Into You

By XuanSon Nguyen

After her car breaks down in a deserted town, seventeen year old Sophie Anderson could not have felt more grateful for the help of the stranger. Little did she know how her life would change after that point. A ghost stuck in purgatory, Matthew Sullivan is still haunted by his past and the consequences of his interference with Fate. As Sophie and Matthew gravitate toward each other, both struggle to keep their feelings from clouding their judgment of what is considered right and wrong. While she helps him come into terms with his past, he offers her a new perspective on life and death. Ultimately, the meaning of love and sacrifices.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 3, 2013
• ISBN: 9781300595533

Book preview

Fade Into You

Fade Into You

First Edition

Copyright © 2012 XuanSon Nguyen

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-300-59553-3

This work is licensed under the Standard Copyright Licensed

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

1. Wrong Turn

The last five minutes before the final bell always felt like an eternity. Especially on a day like today, when the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the symptoms of Spring Fever were everywhere. We were in the middle of May, which meant that summer vacation was mere weeks away. Next week, the seniors were taking their finals, followed by their activities week, while the rest of the school took their final exams then. Although, most classes took their exams early to leave the last days of school for goodbyes and food, so in a way, the whole school was in exam prep mode since the very first day of May. Not to mention that the first couple weeks of May were for AP exams. At least those were over with by now.

As I sat in my Trigonometry class now and stared at the clock, around me the sounds of paper rustling and binders closing echoed with each sentence Mr. Carmichael said. Practically, the whole class was putting away their things, backpack zippers and chatter began to drown him out. It was pretty obvious that no one paid any attention to the last few points in the lesson plan; all anyone could hear by now were the tick tick of the clock as the seconds slowly moved the minute hand closer to class being over.

At last, the clock read 2:10 and the bell rang. In less than thirty seconds, the whole class was empty and I made my way out of the classroom.

Don’t forget to do your homework set. Those are easy points! Mr. Carmichael said to the backs of his students. The door closed behind me and the hot summer-like air blew past me. One thing people didn’t mind about classes was the AC. Our campus was outdoors, so apart for a few hallways with metal sheets as a roof, we were at the mercy of Mother Nature as soon as we stepped out of the classroom. I wasn’t exactly sure why they built Hawthorn High outdoors when the summers were scorching and the winters were brutal. Then again, the town of Hawthorn wasn’t exactly known for its architectural designs. That certainly didn’t stop the senior class from organizing all sorts of events, though. Far from it.

Like the sport event tonight, where all the spring semester sport teams came together to participate in something like the Olympics, only much smaller. Everyone was welcome, of course, but it was more for the senior class to have fun before all leaving for college. Something I didn’t have to think about until next year.

As I headed for the school parking lot, the screams and laughter surrounding the Stadium echoed through the now empty hallways. They might have been empty of people, but the walls of the buildings were plastered with posters, banners, balloons (new and deflated), and orange and black confetti littered the ground. Those were our school colors, which were supposed to represent the dawn of victory and the defeat of our competition or something like that, but really, it just made it look like a Halloween party year-round. Now don’t get me wrong, I liked Hawthorn High, but I just wasn’t the type to have that amount of school spirit in me. I was nothing like my sister Natalie.

Speaking of her seemed to conjure her up out of thin air. Miss School Spirit was slowly making her way across the school yard toward me now as I neared my car in the lot. Nat was in her cheer uniform, complete with pompoms and headband. The ankle brace did take away some of the allure, though. She was a sophomore this year, a year younger than me, but already, she had probably triple the amount of energy about this school than I could ever accumulate over four years. Her over-the-top spirit was what had gotten her ankle in trouble in the first place. Cheering was a dangerous practice, I thought as I unlocked the car and put my backpack in while I waited for her.

Sophie, are you going home? she asked, finally getting close enough to the car and leaned against the hood.

You know I am, I eyed her suspiciously.

Nat fidgeted with one of her pompoms. Her shoulder-length brown hair, slightly lighter than mine, was now tied back into a ponytail. Nat and I despite being sisters didn’t look very alike, except maybe for both being brunettes. I was slightly taller and curvier, while she was petite and toned, perfect for her job as the one they tossed during cheers.  

"Can you do me a really big favor?" she asked in a small voice now. Oh, geez, I knew where this was going.

Sighing, I watched her. Even if I did cover for you, Coach isn’t gonna let you cheer again until next season.

Tucking a loose brown strand of hair behind her ear, she informed me, You don’t need to be in the squad to cheer them on, you know. I can contribute vocally.

Nat...

Please! It’s just one delivery and then you’ll be done. It’s not even that far, she pleaded some more. I’ll owe you.

Our mom owned the only flower shop in town, which automatically meant that Nat and I had jobs after school. We began to take turns making the various deliveries of floral arrangements ever since Nat could legally drive this year. Needless to say, tonight was Nat’s turn.

With a sigh, I shook my head. Fine, I’ll do it. But be back before eight, you still have to catch up on your English project.

Ah! she yelped and jumped up to give me a hug. Thank you, thank you!

That was how I ended up taking over for Nat’s delivery this afternoon. And getting lost because Nat was the worst person to get directions from. She had guaranteed that the directions she printed off from Google were the right ones, and at first glance, they looked fine. I mean, how could you get wrong directions when all you had to do was put in the appropriate addresses and hit ENTER. Well, at least now I knew how she never made it back to the shop on time.

Nat had the direction to go from the shop to the place, but not the way back. She always assumed that you’d get back exactly as you had come. Surprise, surprise. It wasn’t the case.

I supposed it was a good thing I’d managed to make the delivery on time and to the right place. But now how was I going to get back? The house I made the delivery to was in the middle of nowhere as far as I was concerned. Getting back onto the freeway proved to be a real challenge that took me forever. Once I’d managed to get back on the road, the signs were missing. So I drove around for a while, trying to get a bearing on where the heck I was. Finally, there was a beat up sign leading to the freeway. Continuing on the dirt road, finally the tires hit concrete and I let out a sigh of relief. This was the last time I would take over Nat’s deliveries.

Even though I was angry with Nat for being so careless when it came to planning things out, I knew this was probably not going to be the last time I would be covering for her. I was all she had and she was all I had besides our mother. My father left us when I was in the third grade and Nat in second. I knew my parents had their differences and I saw them fight all the time, so when they decided to file for divorce, it wasn’t much of a shock. Nat doesn’t remember much of him, and honestly, apart from those memories of my parents fighting, I couldn’t say that I knew how to miss my father Sam.

Now it was it just the three of us managing and running the small flower shop in town. Soon, though, my mother Laura would have to find a replacement for me once I leave for college. There was still another year ahead, but I couldn’t help but wonder and worry about what lied ahead.

So engrossed in my thoughts that as I drove on the old freeway, I missed the exit. There were a few cars around me at this point so doing an illegal turn would be suicidal. Better than causing an accident, I decided to keep going until I saw the next exit and turn around that way. Much safer.

The next exit was about a quarter mile down, but the entrance was completely covered by the trees and wild shrubs that I almost missed it, also. Eventually, I arrived at the traffic light right off the freeway exit, but as far as I could tell, there were no road to lead me back. This day was just getting better and better, isn’t it? Groaning, I took a random turn and tried to find my way again. It wasn’t until I circled around for about a couple minutes that I realized that this town was completely empty.

Actually, it didn’t just look empty, it looked deserted in a way that said no one had been here for years. Kind of like those abandoned military housing locations. The way everything was so quiet gave me the creeps; goose bumps rose on my arms. Swallowing and shaking myself out of it, I drove on, hoping that I would be able to find a way out. About halfway down the block, my car began to make a weird sound, before just stopping completely.

You’ve got to be kidding me, I muttered under my breath as I tried the ignition again. Nothing. This is just perfect. Pulling my cellphone out and dialed my friend Ashley Malone’s number. It got to the first ring when the automatic voice said the call was disconnected.

Panic slowly rising, I fisted my shaking fingers to get a grip on myself before trying Kyle’s cell phone. It didn’t even make it to the ringing. No reception, I realized when I saw no bars on the phone screen. With several deep breaths, I made myself calm down to think of a solution. So the car stopped working, I was stranded in the middle of an abandoned town, and my phone gets no reception. Either this was my most unlucky afternoon ever, or... Yeah, this was the most unfortunate moment in my life.

Without the motor running, the fan and AC didn’t work so I had to pop open my door to get some fresh air before I suffocate and died out here in the heat. Opening the door didn’t actually help. It was still burning hot, but at least I could breathe better. Scanning the block, I thought about various things I could do. The freeway couldn’t be very far seeing as I just drove in a few minutes ago. There would be a Call Box on the freeway and I’d be able to get some help. Or maybe, by the time I made it out there, I’d get some decent reception and call for help.

Getting out of the car, I grabbed my backpack and the keys with me to lock the car. Now if I just knew in what direction to go in. Because I’d circled around a few blocks, my internal compass was a little off now. I’d seen this bakery Chez Jean probably three times now, and every time I did, the brick pattern gave me the creeps. It looked like some giant eyes staring out. Suppressing a chill, I turned away from the building and stared all around. After some more minutes observing the street signs, I took the road that looked most familiar and began my trek toward what I hoped was the right direction of the freeway. Every few minutes, I’d check my phone in case some miracle would provide me with some bars and the reception strong enough for a couple minutes on the phone. No such luck.

By the time I saw a pay phone at the intersection of the street I was about to cross, my head was pounding from the constant sun and heat. I stood there and debated the odds that it still worked after all this time. It seemed unlikely, but I had to try it out anyway. If it did work, it could save me a lot of time and energy. Unhooking the receiver, I placed it against my ear. Dead silence. With a sigh of frustration, I slammed it back on. It came out a lot louder than I had thought, and I winced. That is, until the same resounding sound echoed again, this time having nothing to do with me letting my frustration out on the old pay phone.

It sounded like someone taking a hammer and smashed it against metal sheets, or some punk crushing soda cans. Wait a minute. That could mean that someone was in this town, which means that they could have a usable phone. Hitching my backpack higher, I took off in the direction of the hits. My hope of getting home before sundown increased as the hits got louder with each step I took. Maybe it was some mechanic here to salvage old parts. That would be great for my car.

Rounding the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks as I realized the noise had nothing to do with a person. Any kind of person. Frozen in place, I stared at the roof of the abandoned building. Two creatures prowled around, apparently feasting on an unfortunate bird or raccoon. I’d never seen those animals in my life; they were a mix between feline and something bigger. The sound of metal being hit was due to them pouncing on the dead prey, shredding it apart. The wind picked up and I could smell the salty and rusty scent of blood, as well as seeing it all over their faces. As if sensing my presence, both of their heads perked up, their bloodstained fangs glistening in the afternoon sun.

Faster than I could even comprehend, my body responded to the threat and I was running. Within those couple seconds, I could hear their heavy bodies landing on the next roof and the next as their paws took them closer to me. I was breathing in more air, pushing myself faster as the survival instinct kicked in. But there was nowhere to go, everything was locked. The adrenaline was pumping in my blood, but I knew it wouldn’t last for long. Up ahead was what looked like an old parking structure where I could stop and take a breath. Where I could figure out what the hell I was supposed to do now.

Inside, I was momentarily distracted by the fact that quite a few cars still remained here. The sound of paws hitting the ground quickly got me back on track, though. My lungs needing a break, I hid behind a black SUV and took in deep breaths, all the while making myself think up of something I could do. If I made it out alive, I will definitely kill Nat.

With my breath sounding in my ear, it was hard to hear what was going on, but it sounded like something happened to those creatures. A loud booming crash somewhere outside made me jump, but there was only silence after that. Did one of them fall? Maybe they found something else to munch on that didn’t require so much energy to catch. Just when I could breathe with some ease, I looked out the windows to see the sky beginning to darken, the glow of the afternoon was changing to the orange shade of sunset. It was going to get dark in only a couple hours and I was still stuck here. Oh, geez.

Getting back on my feet, I peeked from behind the car, through its windows to make sure nothing was coming to attack me. The place was empty of anything alive, I realized with relief. The only sounds I could hear were my ragged breathing and the blood pounding in my ears. I turned around and almost died of a cardiac arrest right there. My skin was still tingling from the fright, a scream was lodged in my throat. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling when I saw the person standing there. When and how did he get here without me seeing or hearing him?

He was tall and lean, his hair had the same color and consistency of corn silk. The straight locks fell slightly over his high forehead and icy silver eyes. Clenching his angular jaw, he stared at me intently, almost frustrated or angry. Apart from looking like he could have walked out of a photoshoot, he appeared as if he had never been out in the sun. Or rather he’d been bleached by the sun, more like a picture you’ve left outside for too long and the colors all faded away. Even his jeans and t-shirt seemed to have been decolorized. And not as a fashion thing either. I was still staring at him and wondering about my sanity when he spoke. I realized that it had been merely been a few seconds.

The general public isn’t allowed here. Can I help you with something? His voice was firm and slightly annoyed, making me flinch.

Um... How was I supposed to explain myself without sounding like an idiot? I took a wrong turn off the freeway and my car broke down. I was trying to find a phone. And then some wild animals tried to have me for dinner.

Sighing, he shook his head. There’s no phone reception here. Didn’t you see the sign?

Yeah, I noticed. What sign? I asked.

The one that says ‘Authorized Personnel Only’ off the exit.

Is this a military base? If it were, I guessed it’d make sense? No, it wouldn’t. This being a base makes it even less likely for wild animals to roam around. Unless they were some weird, secret experiment.

You need to get home, he said, ignoring my question. I’d take that as a yes. Where’s your car parked?

Thinking hard, I tried to remember where it had been before I got chased. At the corner of Applewood Road and Everett Street, I think.

Not responding, he fished a key chain from his jeans and unlocked the SUV, opening the passenger door. When I looked at him in confusion, he raised an eyebrow. Do you want to make the trip on foot?

I climbed in and he closed the door. In hindsight, getting into a car with a complete stranger was probably not the best idea. But he was the only human within a reasonable radius. It was either trusting him or taking a chance with whatever else was out there. Besides, he looked sane, and if he wanted to kill me, he’d done so already. Right? Rounding the hood, he got behind the wheel, and pulled the car out of the parking lot. 

The distance back to my car seemed a lot shorter now that I was neither wandering aimlessly nor running for my life. He stopped the car behind mine and got out. I followed behind him and unlocked my car. Motioning for me to lift the hood up, he moved to the front and waited for the latch to release. Looking like he knew exactly what to do, I leaned against the car door and watched him, feeling so grateful that I was still in one piece and that I would soon be back home.

He had been working on the engine for a few minutes when I noticed the shadows getting darker and longer as the sun began to set behind the buildings. The rays no longer light and glowy, but a dark orange. Suddenly, he slammed the hood of my car back in place, making me believe he was done and that I could bid this place adieu forever. But then he pulled the keys of the SUV out and threw them out to me.

Confused, I caught them and stared at him.

You gotta get back before sunset, he said with seriousness.

What about my car?

Shaking his head, he clenched and unclenched his jaw. You need to go. Take whatever you need from your car and leave. It’ll be returned to you by tomorrow.

I had absolutely no idea what was his deal, but he didn’t have to tell me twice. Especially when something like those wild creatures could be prowling around. If I was scared to death during the daytime, I would surely die once the sun came down. As I hurriedly pulled my stuff from the backseat of my car and moved them into the SUV, I could have sworn I heard something moving within those buildings. Something not very friendly if the growling and hissing were any indication. My hands were shaking as I got in the driver’s seat and put my seat belt on.

Coming to the driver’s side, he gestured for me to lower the window down. Continue on this road for about a minute and take the first right. You’ll see the intersection of Wynter and Harding. Turn left into Harding and that will take you back to the freeway.

I nodded, trying hard to remember what he instructed. Thanks.

Sure, tapping on the door, he stepped back. Your car should be back to you by tomorrow so don’t come looking for it, alright? I nodded again. Great. Keep to what I told you, don’t stop for anything, even hitchhikers. Go straight home.

That seemed a little odd to me, but I didn’t ask further. I could just thank him again.

Alright. Drive safely and try not to get lost again, he smirked. For a blink of an eye, I saw the flicker of a smile, softening his features and making my breath momentarily hitch in my throat. Shaking it off quickly, I pulled the car off the sidewalk and followed his instructions to get out of this creepy town.

With all that had happened, I was still so tense as I drove down the road and saw the intersection he mentioned. Turning left into Harding, I drove for a couple minutes before I saw the freeway sign. Just as I was about to enter the lane, I noticed a shadow standing by the road, trying to get my attention for a ride. What the... But the car zoomed past them as my brain worked back what he told me earlier about not stopping for hitchhikers. What did he mean when he told me that? The sky was a dark blue now, only a few orange streaks remained against the dark canvas, so I couldn’t actually see the person asking for a ride when I had driven past them. Looking into the rearview mirror at the spot they were standing, I couldn’t see them anymore. They were nowhere in sight and no cars were behind me so they couldn’t have gotten on. Where did they go? They couldn’t just have disappeared into thin air.

As I merged into the freeway lanes, I noticed something below the freeway entrance sign. It was one of those memorial spots for car accident victims, with flowers and candles. Even as part of my brain told me this was why the person had disappeared in mere moments, the more reasonable part of me denied that I could have seen anything remotely related to a ghost. No. It was just not possible. This was just a result of my traumatic day. I was going to go home and forget it had ever happened.

Definitely, this will be the last time I ever cover Nat’s deliveries. Ever.

2. Driving Me Crazy

A few minutes in, the flow of cars got thicker. I never thought I would be grateful for traffic. My cell buzzed then, finally coming back to life. Taking advantage of the slow moving flow, I saw five missed calls. Three were from Nat and the other two from Ashley and Kyle. There were also a few texts from Nat. Pressing the button to switch to speaker phone, I dialed my voicemail.

The first two were from Nat. Hey, are you still out on the delivery? I know, I know. I forgot to include the directions back from the place, sorry. But hey, I’ll be home soon so if you need anything, just call me.

Where are you? Why aren’t you replying back to me? You’re still mad, aren’t you?

Then came Ashley’s message, probably as a result of Nat thinking I didn’t want to talk to her or something. "Hey, Soph. Um, are you all right? Where are you? Call me back."

Kyle’s message was typical of him. Hey. I hope you didn’t do anything as stupid as leaving your phone somewhere, or forgetting it at home. Oh, and I hope you’re okay. Let me know when you’re back.

Rolling my eyes, I listened to the last one. Sophie, seriously, where are you? Are you all right? You can’t still be mad at me for not including those stupid directions. CALL ME BACK before I call the police and file a missing person!

That last message was received about ten minutes ago. Calling her back, I waited for her to pick up. She was probably freaking out at the moment. Good thing our mother was out of town for a couple days to meet with a wedding planner, getting the contract in order.

Sophie? she asked after the second ring.

Nat, calm down.

Thank goodness you’re all right. She let out a sigh, before picking right back up. What the heck happened to you? I figured you were mad for the missing directions, but come on, would it have killed you to answer your phone? Even when I asked Ashley and Kyle to try to contact you. It’s almost nine o’clock and I haven’t heard from you since 2:30! Where the heck did you go?

Are you done? I asked calmly. I knew it was no use trying to interrupt her.

I’m done. Your turn.

Well, I was mad for the lack of directions, but that wasn’t why I didn’t answer my phone. It’s a very long and exhausting story, but the point is: I got lost on the way back and there was no reception there. Now I’m driving back. I just saw the city limit sign so I should be back within ten minutes or so. Did Mom call?

Of course she did! And she asked to talk to you, so I had to tell her you were in the shower, she sighed. Anyway, I’m just glad you’re fine. And I’m sorry for what happened to you.

Smiling to myself, I felt my anger vanishing. Despite still unable to believe it actually happened, I tried to push it aside. Well, I’m not dead so I guess we’re good. Just do me a favor and tell Ash I’m all right.

Sure, what about Kyle? I asked him to call you, too.

Yeah, I got his heartwarming message. He thinks I forgot my phone somewhere. Let’s see how long it takes him to come to the conclusion that something did happen to me.

We ended our call then as I drove into the streets of Hawthorn and took the familiar streets toward the house. A few children were taking advantage of Friday night to play outside at the end of the cul-de-sac when I made the turn. In our own lawn, the sprinklers were starting off, covering the place in a faint mist that offered some cooling of the heat. I hadn’t thought much about it initially, but as I drove the SUV onto the driveway, I realized how much bigger it was than my Civic. Now I had to come up with a reasonable explanation for driving back with some stranger’s car. And a stranger he was; I didn’t even know his name. I didn’t even have the opportunity to ask him how he was going to return the car back to me. Sighing, I grabbed my bag and got out of the car. After locking the car—it wouldn’t be smart to get someone else’s car stolen—I headed inside to find Nat sitting on the couch with her homework spread out on the coffee table.

Hey, I said as I closed the door and took off my shoes. You’re actually doing homework... on a Friday night. I must be dreaming. Crashing down onto the love seat, I felt my muscles relax and I sighed contentedly.

Ha ha, you’re hilarious, she grumbled. So, she leaned back. Who drove you back?

Glancing at her, I arched an eyebrow. No one, I drove back.

Hm? I thought I saw headlights from a truck or SUV.

Right, you did. Um... Sitting up, I tried to find the right words to explain. It’s... uh... a rental. As part of the very long story. My car broke down so this is a rental until tomorrow or something. Before she could ask more questions, I feigned exhaustion—which wasn’t much of a stretch—and bid her goodnight. After calling my mom to see that she had things in order, I took a quick shower and went to bed, never having been so glad to slip under the covers and pass out.

Only I couldn’t fall asleep. I couldn’t believe it when after flopping and tossing around for over fifty minutes, sleep still evaded me. It wasn’t to say that I wasn’t tired, far from it, actually. There was just something in the back of my head that stopped me from shutting down completely to end this exhausting day. It was a little like that feeling you had the night before a big exam or an important event. If I stayed still, I could potentially hear the gears working in my head. Sighing, I pulled the covers over my shoulders and shut my eyes, willing myself to sleep. Eventually the Sandman took pity on me, I suppose, and I fell into an uneven slumber.

The next morning started out pretty much the same as always. I was just more zombie than human on this particular morning. Still half-asleep, I hit the snooze button and laid in bed for a couple minutes, thinking over the previous night and what had led me to those nightmares. Thinking back on them now made me shiver despite the quickly rising heat from the sunshine pouring in from the open windows. In my dreams, I saw those beasts chasing me over and over again, seeing their hungry eyes and teeth. Even if I hadn’t really been running all night, my legs felt heavy and my chest tight. Besides the fright of those animals, I had the weird and nagging feeling that I’d seen that guy somewhere.

He was around twenty, twenty-one years old. Just a few years older than me, so we could have easily gone to the same high school as far as I knew. Or maybe he was friends with someone I knew? Whoever he was, I was sure I’d seen him before. With a physique and face like that, it’d be hard not to remember, but the strange color of his eyes and hair were what made him stick out in my memory. I just couldn’t quite place him. Glancing at the clock again, I turned off the alarm and reluctantly got out of bed and roughly pulled the covers over the mattress, putting the pillows back.

Then shuffling out of my room, my hands rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I headed for the bathroom. Living in the same house for seventeen years ought to enable you to walk from one room to another without actually seeing where you were going. It wasn’t until I had brushed my teeth, water splashed across my face that I became fully awake, and the impact of what had happened fully registered.

But who was that guy? I had been so caught up in the moment, I didn’t even bother asking for his name. Why was he even there? And how was he supposed to return my car without knowing where I lived? Oh, geez, what had I gotten myself into? Groaning silently, I went back to my room to change. Pulling on the towel I wrapped around my hair, I only saw the shadow flicker across the room from the corner of my eyes. Quickly glancing around, I tried to find out where that had come from. Mostly I expected to see my cat Chocolate already by the window, spying on the morning birds. It was his daily ritual to sprint from the living room up to my room just to wait to catch—unsuccessfully—the various birds and butterflies. But as I looked around my room, he was nowhere in sight, causing me to wonder two things: where was Chocolate? And what was that shadow of?

The towel long forgotten, I crossed the bedroom, giving another sweep to see if I could locate him, and stood by the open window in my pajamas. There was nothing outside that could have cast a shadow like that. The tree branches would have made some sound as the wind blew them back and forth. An airplane would have been deafening and much too close to cast a shadow that big. It felt like something ran out of my room or across it, which was a ridiculous notion. My room was on the second floor and the maple tree in front too far away for anyone to climb into my room. Then what was it? I continued to stare outside. Because my room overlooked the front yard, I noticed the large, shiny car parked in our driveway. Heaving a sigh, I ran my hand through my damp and messy hair. What to do now? Would it be wrong to drive that car to the flower shop and go along with the rental story? What if he came to give my car back and his wasn’t there?

What are you talking about? I mumbled as I closed the windows and headed toward my dresser and grabbed my brush. Yanking against the wet strands, I tried to come up with a reasonable way of going about this situation. He gave no time frame apart from tomorrow, which could be from right now till midnight. There was no way I could wait around and not go to work. And it wasn’t like I had any way of contacting him and ask. Wait a minute. A few more strokes to get my long strands to appear somewhat presentable, I went downstairs and out into the driveway.

Why I hadn’t thought of doing this sooner, I didn’t know. The car had to have some papers and registration, right? Even if it didn’t have his personal phone number, there had to be someone I could call to get some answers about my car. Unlocking the passenger’s side, I opened the glove compartment. Empty. My face fell, then confusion replaced irritation. There was nothing, no car registration, no insurance papers, no random notes, no gloves. Huh. Leaving the door open, I hopped in the seat and tried the other sections of the car that someone might keep their documents within reach. About fifteen minutes later, I found the exact same thing as I did in the glove compartment. Nothing. Now what?

Not only did it mean that I still didn’t have any way of contacting him, it also meant that if I were to drive this vehicle and I got pulled over, then I would probably be arrested under suspicion of car theft. Apart from the fact that the car was spotless, I learned absolutely nothing about this guy. Yet I had left my car with him. What an idiot. But I didn’t have time to beat myself up for being so stupid. I needed to think of a way to even get to work this morning without getting in trouble. And for that, I needed food and coffee.

While the coffee brewed, I went back upstairs to actually change out of my pajamas when I saw Nat leave her room and head out into the hallway. The only acknowledgment I got from her was a wave of the hand before she locked herself into the bathroom. Same old, same old. Although, I was a little surprised to see up before ten o’clock. By the looks of things, I probably won’t see her downstairs for another forty-five minutes, if even that. Returning to the kitchen, I leaned against the counter with a mug of coffee and milk and mulled about my current situation. Now in the light of day, I realized how fortunate I was to have made it back home in one piece. It also made me realize how crazy and unexpected your life can turn in just a few hours. Going from a simple flower delivery to now being in the possession of a stranger’s car with no apparent papers. That train of thought led me to the other issue I had to deal with. What was I going to do to get to work this morning? I could bike, in theory, but that would make it rather difficult to go anywhere if the need presented itself. The shower running upstairs jerked me out of my thoughts. Nat.

There was Nat’s so-called car, the one she’s been avoiding driving. It was a pretty old Camry that our neighbor was ready to get rid of. Mom heard and bought it for next to nothing. Natalie wasn’t the best driver around, so it was only natural that she wasn’t going to get anything close to a new car. Apart from making deliveries, though, Natalie barely drove, which was good for the traffic community, now I thought about it. In the morning, she would ride with me to school and/or to work. Before her accident, she’d get a ride back to either the shop or the house with one of her friends from cheer practice after school. Nowadays she rode with me every day, except for yesterday afternoon, obviously. I just hoped the ancient Camry still functioned right. The last time anyone took it out for a drive had been almost a year ago for its obligatory smog check. Another broken down car would be absolutely perfect. It would just be my luck if my mother came home and saw the shiny black SUV parked on her driveway. I’d conveniently omitted mentioning my dramatic interaction with nature’s finest yesterday. Whatever happened to get my car back, I hoped it would before seven tonight. 

By the time Nat came down, I was finishing up my cup of coffee and milk. She grabbed a granola bar and parked herself on one of the stools facing the counter.

What are you doing up so early? I asked as I rinsed my mug.

I was sort of wondering if you wouldn’t mind getting to the shop a little earlier today, she answered around a bite. Could you pass me the milk?

Handing her the bottle and a cup, I asked, Why? Is there a scheduled pickup or something?

Thanks. No, my friend Megan’s leaving for the weekend and I need her English notes. The shop is closer for her than driving here, Nat shrugged.

Oh. I waited a few seconds before adding, Do you think the Camry still runs okay?

Why? She looked at me over the raised glass of milk.

I was thinking of driving it today.

What’s wrong with the SUV? Did you break it, too? she chuckled and I rolled my eyes.

No. I just don’t want to drive it. When she gave me a quizzical look, I explained. What if something happened to it?

Soph, it’s a rental, she answered simply, as if that would explain everything.

Right, but still. Besides, someone needs to drive the Camry and keep the motor working properly.

Okay... When are you getting your car back, anyway? she wondered as she got up to put the wrapper in the trash and rinse her glass. I got out of her way.

I’m... not sure. Some time today, I suppose.

Guess they’ll call you when they’re done, huh? She wasn’t really looking for a reply so I didn’t have to lie to her. If Nat knew what really happened, I would never hear the end of it.

About ten minutes later, we got into the Camry and crossed our fingers that the motor would turn. Holding my breath, I turned the key and the engine purred to life. I let my breath out with a silent thank you before backing out of the driveway, the huge black car never quite left my vision until we were down the street and I made the turn. The drive from home into the commercial district of Hawthorn didn’t take very long, especially when we left half an hour earlier than usual. It was barely nine-thirty when I parked the car in the usual spot in the back lot of the small shop. We shared this lot with the bakery and the bookstore on either sides. Because there wasn’t much traffic back here, the asphalt was still in good shape. There were a few trees and flower shrubs growing on the small patches of grass separating each establishment, and on warm mornings like today, I always felt more inclined to sit at one of the small table sets and read a good book, feeling the light breeze around and smelling the flowers. I knew, though, that with the heat I probably wouldn’t last past eleven without feeling like a baked chip.

Unlocking the back door, Nat and I entered the shop and turned on the lights. While Nat headed for the front to unlock the door and get the day started, I went into the back room. I always felt more comfortable back here, where it was quiet and calm in stark contrast to the front of the shop where it was always loud and busy with customers and deliveries. That was the reason why Nat was in charge of the front and I was here fulfilling the orders; that and because she wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a boutonniere and a corsage to save her life.

I heard Nat shuffling outside, watering the pots and flowers on display before starting on tallying up the previous weeks’ sales. Every two weeks, the shop would close for a Sunday to get a brief inventory going. What our mother called brief actually took about a day and a half, thus the Sunday closing. Since it was still early, Nat was getting started, I assumed. After I put away my things, I began to go down the list of orders and started on the arrangements scheduled for early Monday morning. Good thing Laura Anderson, our mother, was due back home later this afternoon. It wasn’t to say that Nat and I were the only ones manning this camp while she was gone, far from it. We had a couple employees working part-time during the mornings when we were at school. They came in on the weekends when it was rush season, like the major holidays. Today, though, was a slow day.

About halfway into the rose arrangement, I heard the front door chime and Megan’s voice—Nat’s friend—greet her. They talked briefly about what would be covered on the finals before the door chimed again and Megan left. I looked at the clock. If there wasn’t going to be any more distractions in the next fifteen minutes, I was pretty sure I’d be hearing Nat turn the stereo up to one of her Beatles’ albums. The girl was obsessed with them now as intensely as the girls back then. She was already humming one of their songs under her breath as she worked now, the song mingling with the sound of paper rustling.

When the chorus for A Hard Day’s Night began to play, rather loudly I may add, I could barely hear the back door swing open and close. Her footsteps hitting the floor alerted me of her attack before she could even attempt to gotcha! me.

’Morning, Ash, I said, without turning around, too busy putting the baby’s breath stems into the vase.

Aw, darn it! Ashley Malone chuckled before throwing her backpack down onto the floor by her feet. How could you hear me above Paul and John’s screams?

I heard that! Nat called back, causing Ash and me to laugh.

Hi, Nat!

Nat gave a wave as she passed the door, before going back to whatever she was doing right now.

My dear, an elephant would be quieter than you, I commented now, getting back on topic. If you ever thought of becoming a spy for the CIA or something, you can forget it. Looking over the tall flowers, I smirked.

Oh, aren’t you funny, she rolled her eyes and took a seat on the other side of the large working table. Pushing her chestnut strands out of her face, she leaned down to unpack her books and binder. Anyway, any particular reason you’re driving that old grumpy thing? It was a casual question, of course, but I couldn’t help from getting unnerved slightly. The floral shears slipped out of my hand and hit the wooden table with a smack. You okay?

Yeah, sorry. Hand cramp, been doing this for a while, I laughed nervously and swallowed. My car... er, it’s a long story, but the point is that it broke down yesterday.

I know, you made Nat call last night, remember? she gave me a worried look.

Oh, right.

"But was that all that happened? Narrowing her eyes, she smiled mischievously, waiting for the juicy tale. I groaned internally. As much as I loved her and as smart as she was, Ashley Malone still suffered from the gossip disorder."

What else do you think happened? I asked, buying myself some time.

Shrugging, she leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm. I don’t know, but it has to be more interesting than just getting lost and calling for a tow truck.

This isn’t some of those supernatural tv shows you watch, I replied, getting back to work. I didn’t know how to get back, I drove around for a while, and then the car broke down. After that, I just had to call for a tow truck. The end.

She thought about that for about three seconds, before pointing out, Wait a minute. I thought there was no phone reception there. How the heck did you call for help?

Damn it! I could feel her stare at me with real curiosity, but I couldn’t meet her gaze. Pay phone, I croaked out.

Pay phones?

Yes, Ash, those things people used before cell phones took over the world. You put some coins in then you dial to make a call.

Oh, hush. I know what a pay phone is, she rolled her eyes.

I took that break as an opportunity to push myself from the table and go look for a roll of ribbon. Scanning the order papers, I made sure I got the right color from the shelf, as well as the card and card holder. Ashley’s phone vibrated just as I sat down. She took a look at the text received before pushing it toward me.

What is it? I asked, glancing at the screen at the same time as she replied.

He’s asking for you. Again.

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. Kyle Gallager was no other than Ashley’s cousin and the third side of our triangle. We’ve known each other since at least first grade, growing up in the same schools ever since. Despite being related, Ash and Kyle could have been from totally different planets. Physically, at the very least, they looked nothing alike. Ash had brown hair, while Kyle’s was dark blond; he was tall, she was petite. Character wise, Ash was studious, if not somewhat crazy at times, but always making time in her ridiculously full schedule for friends and family. Kyle was... well, Kyle. There was no question that he was highly intelligent; he just seemed to never quite actually focusing his energy into anything productive for very long. Not to mention his tendency to be rather bitter and caustic for no apparent reason at all.

Back when we were kids, I knew Ash separately from Kyle, never knowing they were actually related until Ash’s 7th birthday party, when Kyle was among the invited kids. Just looking at them, you would think they hated each other most of the time, so seeing him at her party was quite a surprise. Over the years, with me in the middle, they’ve been less hostile toward each other in public. It still didn’t stop her from constantly referring to him seeing me more than as a friend for the sole reason that I was the only person he treated with some decency. Regardless of how much Kyle and I tried, she still wasn’t convinced it was pure friendship that kept him from biting my head off at every comment I made, like he usually does with people (that he didn’t consider dating). And it certainly didn’t help that Kyle had a control issue over me. Such as dropping texts and instant messages just to ask where and what I was doing. Till this day, I have yet to figure out why he felt the need to do that. All of that convinced her that she was right and I was in denial.

Are you gonna reply to him? Ash asked now, as she opened her chemistry book and began the homework. He might go into a panic attack without hearing from you within the last twelve hours.

He’ll survive, I mumbled. "Especially after his heartwarming message to me last night."

She laughed, turning the page of the book, guessing her cousin must have been in his dark mood when he made the call. And you haven’t called him back?

He thinks I’ve lost my phone or something. I shrugged. Oh, well.

Laughing quietly, she went back to work. After making the bow and tying it in place, I gathered the leaves and stems into the newspaper and headed out for the dumpster out back.

Be right back, don’t lock the door, I called over my shoulder and inched out through the door.

No sooner had I thrown the trash away and turned around that I saw it. My car. Getting out from behind the wheel was the guy from the abandoned—probably military—town. For no apparent reason, I got seriously nervous upon seeing him, my heartbeat sped up and my palms began to sweat. I swallowed as he closed the door of the car and moved up toward me.

Apart from changing into a new t-shirt, he still had that aura of something I couldn’t quite name. Standing under the morning sun, he appeared even more bleached out from the surrounding colors. Colors that usually were so dull to me. They offered a stark contrast to his whole frame. When he watched me and blinked once, I realized that I had been shamelessly staring at him.

Taking a breath, I had to find my voice to say anything. When did you—? What—? How did you find me? Now that I had somewhat gotten over the shock of seeing him here, I remembered that I never heard a car approaching. How long had he been sitting there in the lot? And most importantly, how in the world could he have found me without knowing my name? A chill ran down my spine.

I expected a grateful reception, not a series of half completed questions, he replied, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his loose jeans. He leaned lightly against the Civic, watching me.

Shame washed over me and I felt myself burning up. I opened my mouth to speak, but he shook it off and looked around the lot.

Where’s the SUV? Didn’t you drive it? He cast me a blank look. Don’t tell me something happened to it, also. There was a bored and somewhat condescending tone to his words and it rubbed me the wrong way.

No, it’s at home. I didn’t drive it for the exact reason that I didn’t want anything to happen to it, I crossed my arms over my chest and met his gaze. Unnerved, he raised a fair eyebrow and waited for me to get it. He didn’t even bother to explain himself. Damn it! I bit the inside of my cheek. Right, now you can’t drive back...

Uh-huh, good deduction.

Well, if you had given me some indication of when to expect you, this could have been avoided. Letting out a frustrated breath, I continued. Look, my sister is going to be fine for a few minutes. I’ll drive you to get the car.

Before I even finished, though, he was already shaking his head. Don’t go out of your way. His voiced seemed a notch softer, as if realizing that this was sort of his fault for not letting me know. Just hand me the keys and get back to work. Taking a step closer to me, he extended out his hand.

But how are you... You don’t even know where I live. Even saying it, I was already fishing for the keys from my back pocket.

Looking straight down to my eyes, he said, I found out where you work, didn’t I? Faster than I could have imagined, he picked the keys to the SUV out of my hand and replaced them with my own. I blinked, staring at my hand, then up into his silver eyes. Somewhere behind me, a car drove onto the asphalt and parked. He glanced easily over my shoulder, then told me again to go inside. Your friend’s here, you should go. The sentence wasn’t even over that he had already backed away, but still, I kept staring at him, my mind spinning.

Sophie! The sound of my name called jerked a reflex and I instinctively turned around. Kyle was walking up, an expression of confusion and slight anger etched on his face. By the time I turned around again, the stranger was already gone. What the heck happened?

Soph, you okay? Kyle asked, now standing just beside me.

Yeah, perfect. Shaking my head trying to clear it, I headed back inside, Kyle close behind.

Then why didn’t you text or call me back? he demanded, raising his hands in the air for emphasis. Do you enjoy making me feel this way?

We were back into the shop, Ash catching that last bit of Kyle’s rant. She stopped working, biting into the cap of her pen, a sly grin on her lips as she stared at him. Shrugging, I picked up the next order form and began assembling the flowers for the client. Upon seeing his cousin, Kyle groaned.

Don’t you even say anything, he snapped. What the heck are you doing here, anyway?

Dismissing him, she turned back her attention to her work. "Working on chemistry. What are you doing here? Don’t you have an essay due on Monday?"

Yes! That’s why I’m here, I need someone to bounce ideas off of, he answered as he sat down at the head of the large wooden table. Shouldn’t you have been worried when she didn’t say where she had been last night? he pointed back toward me.

Oh, I knew. Nat called.

What? Kyle turned around. "So your sister calls her, but you couldn’t even text me to tell me you were alive?"

Don’t be so dramatic, I shook my head. Honestly, my mind wasn’t completely into the conversation. I was still worried about the SUV parked at my house. How would he know where to find my house? Maybe he took a look at the car’s registry’s paper. Oh, geez. That means he could know a whole lot more about me than I know about him. What if something happened? What if my mom comes home and sees him? Oh, my goodness...

By the time I turned back around to set the flowers down on the table, they were both arguing about Kyle having no study habits and Ash working too much.

Guys! I waved my hands back and forth to get their attention. Can you please stop it? Go outside if you want, but I am seriously getting a headache... and this sound volume is not helping, Natalie! Backing up a few steps, I poked my head through the door. One of the more shout-y songs were on, grinding down on my nerves.

Sheesh, Nat gave me an annoyed look and lowered the volume down a little. Who bit you and left you all hot and bothered? she muttered under her breath.

Certainly not Edward Cullen, Kyle snickered in the other room.

Spinning  around, I glared at him. What?

What? He stared back at me with feigned innocence. I shook my head and closed my eyes, taking in deep breaths. Stupid car breaking down on me. Now I was the one falling apart. When can today be over already? When things went back to normal as if nothing had even happened.

Just... I clenched then unclenched my fists. ... Let’s just get to work. Now that I had some control, despite very little, over myself, I settled back into my work area and guided the frustration into something more productive. I wasn’t sure if it was my outburst or if they finally got over their differences to work, but for the rest of the afternoon Ashley and Kyle managed to be rather civilized around each other. Apart from the sound of stems snapping off and pens scratching paper (and of course Nat’s music), the whole shop was very quiet. From time to time, clients would come in to pick up their flowers and some came in to order new ones. Kyle got a full outline going for his essay and had almost a quarter of the draft written by the time he left later in the afternoon. Ash stayed around until it was closing time.

Things seemed to be slowly getting back to the way they were when the phone rang and Nat picked up. In the back room, Ash was helping me clean up the table and sweep the floor. My mind had been doing such a good job since this morning at ignoring the weirdness lately that when Mom asked for me on the phone, I practically fell to my knees.

H-hi, Mom, I swallowed, my hands slightly shaking as I felt the cold chill spread. Are you home yet?

Hi, honey. No, I was going to stop by the shop and drop off these samples. Are you all right? You sound a little... off.

I cleared my throat silently, glancing at Ash who was raising an eyebrow at my reaction. "Yeah, I’ve just been having this headache all day. It’ll pass, so